


Destiny Painted on Your Skin

by PhantomGrimalkin



Series: Mark of Fate [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2015-01-16
Packaged: 2018-02-22 09:48:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2503457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomGrimalkin/pseuds/PhantomGrimalkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where people bear a mark tying one to their soulmate, Steve Rogers was born without one. He wakes up in the 21st Century and, in addition to all the other changes he has to face, he also woke up to find a mark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Looks like you had someone special back there.”

Steve had just woken up from the ice. It was after Director Fury finally talked him down and got him to agree to some testing so that he could get his personal effects back. The doctor who had examined him was holding out the picture of Peggy that Steve had had on him. Steve took the picture, looking at it instead of at the expression on the woman's face. A forced smile covering pity.

“Is she the one that matches that mark?” the doctor asked again, motioning towards his shoulder.

“That what?” Steve asked, jerking his head towards his shoulder.

* * *

 

Steve had never had a soul-spot. It wasn't completely unheard of, and it didn't come up that often. He didn't even realize it was abnormal until highschool when everyone talked about finding their match.

No one was really sure where they came from, but people had had them for all of recorded history. The mark that matched up perfectly with one other person's- your soulmate's. Most people had rather simple shapes in natural colors, a large birthmark. An especially defined shape was generally considered a good omen, an odd color was bad. No spot, well, there was no concensus.

Bucky used to say it was a good thing, that it meant Steve could define his own destiny. Find the person who truly fit him, rather than just comparing spots and deciding it was a set thing. It rang a little hollow, though.

Part of him had hoped that the serum would somehow give him a soul-spot. Maybe being Captain America would make him worthy of a soulmate.

He fell in love with Peggy and hoped that she was spotless, too, that maybe he'd found the person he could make his own destiny with.

When he was driving the plane into the arctic, he was glad he didn't have a soulmate.

* * *

 

 

Steve got out of the shower, toweled himself off, wiped the steam off the mirror, and again stared at his shoulder. It was still there, as it had been every time he'd looked since the ice. He still expected to look down and see the blank skin he'd gotten used to all his life. Rather than the red, jagged half circle that looked more painful than loving.

At first he had hoped it was just a wound. A random single wound when the rest of his perfectly preserved body was unscratched, that his super healing couldn't quite erase.

They didn't have any more answers about soul-spots than they did in the 40s. There were now websites dedicated to helping people find their match, although people had always been instinctually driven to find their soulmate. Scientists had done plenty of studying, but no one could sort out where they came from. Some of the beliefs about them were now considered old wive's tales. Size, shape, location didn't seem to have much of an impact. There were even times, though rare, when relationships based on soul-spots failed.

For all the information he could manage to find on the internet, he couldn't find any mention of the marks just appearing, though.

* * *

 

It was a testament to how private that soul-spots were that the Avengers had managed to live together for a so long without knowing each others'. Even Bruce's had passed without notice, and he ended up naked in public at least once a week. Okay, well, desperately clutching tattered pants to himself- but not a whole lot was left to the imagination. Steve didn't know if this was because he got lucky and had a small spot in an especially discrete place, but sometimes he hoped it was because Bruce also didn't have one.

It seemed to just be accepted that no one talked about it. Steve wasn't even sure if Pepper and Tony were a match. He wondered if Thor had one, if Asgardians had them or if it was a “Midgard” thing. The wondering only lasted a few weeks before it just stopped seeming relevant.

It was nice. Even in the army, between the usual raunchy comments and jokes, people would bring up finding their match and settling down. Now he was surrounded by people who, for whatever reason, either didn't care or didn't want to talk about it. It was easier to forget. It was easier to just feel normal, surrounded by this group of extraordinary and broken people. They had gone from a rag-tag group that had been thrown together into a strong team, a family that watched each other's back both on the battlefield and off.

Not that it had been an especially easy progression, of course. There had been plenty of difficulties and set-backs. Steve had to realize that Tony wasn't flaunting his money to take over when he built the Avengers Mansion, he just showed affection with gifts. Bruce had to figure out that the team didn't worry about him Hulking Out whenever he got hurt- they worried about _him_. Natasha and Clint eventually having to choose between the team and SHIELD and choosing the team. Tony had to learn that the team wasn't after him for his money, that he wouldn't lose them over the first little screw up, that sometimes people did care about him.

It never should have worked, throwing together all those people who were so different and messed up, but it did. And Steve couldn't be happier for it.

* * *

 

Although it was hard to completely ignore them, given that romance found its way into marketing and fiction and practically everything, Steve actually managed to go a few weeks without thinking about soul-spots. He got out of the shower and toweled off, wiped off the mirror, combed his hair, brushed his teeth, and didn't even glance at the mark on his shoulder. He hung out with the team, as a group and with individuals. He got out, went to museums, took art classes, volunteered with helping veterans, met people. Steve had a smart phone and actually knew how to use it. Mostly.

With as busy as he was, it was really almost remarkable that his mind ever had time to wander. Which it did with increasingly more frequency to a certain gamma-irradiated physicist.

Not that he didn't think about the rest of the team. Of course he did, they were his friends, his family, his teammates. He just generally didn't find his sketches focusing on Natasha's jawline or the curve of Tony's back. When he went to sketch the New York skyline view from his window and ended up with curly hair and long lashes framing tired eyes, well, he knew he had it bad.

It was an odd revelation. On the one hand, it was nice. It was nice to have that warm feeling in his stomach, the flutters whenever he earned a smile or laugh from the other man. He hadn't felt like that since Peggy, didn't think he'd be able to in this new world.

Then he started thinking about the soul-spots. He had one now. He had a soulmate. Although he knew that people dated those they didn't match, he didn't know how to feel about it in this situation. Was it a good idea to start a relationship that was doomed to failure? Especially with a teammate? He didn't know for sure whether or not Bruce had a spot, what about Bruce's soulmate? If he wanted romance, shouldn't he be looking for his own soulmate?

Every time he considered that, his stomach lurched. That was a step he wasn't ready to take just yet, he'd rather just enjoy his crush quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a post going around tumblr about the idea of a world where a mark shows up on your arm when you fall in love. It starts red, turns black when it's required, turns to a scar when it ends. Then I read Adenil's Messy Soul on AO3 (yes, also Avengers fanfic, this isn't a total rip-off I swear!) where you have your soulmate's name tattooed over your heart, and I really like where that's going. A few years back there was also a webcomic by Amy Stoddard, which is no longer available, about people being born with patches that matched up to someone else. Sadly, that ended before it was complete and I believe she's taken it down.
> 
> This combines all of those, basically. I also kind of struggled with what pairing to do but I've already got a Clint/Bruce I need to finish (trying to figure out how to, I suck at endings, sorry) and I have a really big soft spot for Steve/Bruce.


	2. Chapter 2

­As it turned out, Bruce did have a mark. It was just over his pelvic bone, in a place easily covered by even the sparsest covering or a casually placed hand, if it came to it. Tony caught sight of it by accident one time. Not even after a Hulk Out, which would have been completely expected. No, instead it was a lab accident. Butterfingers knocked some chemical onto Bruce, and Tony _helpfully_ stripped him with expert skills.

He insisted that this was to protect Bruce. Which, to be fair, it was. By the time the clothes were off, they'd already started smoldering and combusted rather quickly. In the confusion, Bruce forgot to bother covering up his mark.

“You _do_ have one!” 

Bruce frowned at that, “You thought that I didn't?”

Tony shrugged, “I've basically seen you naked and never noticed one, it seemed possible.”

This opened the floodgates. Tony had never exactly been good at keeping control over his mouth, and he also wasn't especially good at recognizing boundaries. Or respecting them. He followed Bruce to the communal kitchen, chatting the entire time about soulmates and soul-spots and everything related to it.

“So, it only seems fair to show you mine,” Tony said while Bruce started putting the kettle on.

Bruce turned around to try and insist this was really unnecessary, only to be faced with Tony pulling his shirt up. He instead rubbed his face and tried to make peace with the situation. “This is really unnecessary.”

Tony just shrugged at that, flashing Bruce a grin and pointing.

“You have two,” Bruce said blankly. Somehow, that was not surprising. Despite himself, he leaned over slightly and looked over them. There was a delicate, tan imprint of a-- “Wait, is that a.... pepper pott? Really?”

“Yup,” Tony replied smugly, “Other one's an army metal. Want to know the most interesting thing?”

“You're going to tell me whether I want to know or not,” Bruce pointed out mildly, leaning against the counter and ignoring the kettle clicking off.

Tony rolled his eyes at him, “Actually- it's a tie. The two biggest quirks about them is that I didn't have them when I was born.”

Bruce straightened up at that, frowning, “What else?”

“They don't match either Rhodey or Pepper's marks,” Tony finished, with a bit of wistfulness sneaking into his tone.

Before Bruce could formulate a response to that, Steve came into the room. He was in his gym clothes, towel slung across his shoulders and his hair damp from the shower. The man paused at the sight. “Am I interrupting...?”

“We're just playing 'show me yours, I'll show you mine'- you can join us, Cap,” Tony replied with a wink, although he finally put his shirt back down. Steve nodded uncertainly, making his way to the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of juice.

“Tony noticed my soul-spot and apparently is just so eager to talk about it,” Bruce explained blandly as he began steeping his tea.

“Your.... oh,” Steve replied. He attempted to hide his disappointment by taking a long drink of his juice.

Bruce frowned at him, “Why is everyone so surprised that I have one?”

Steve shook his head, “I was born without one, so I guess I was hoping there was someone else like me.”

“So was Tony,” Bruce offered, “Although he apparently makes his own.”

“Would you expect anyone less?” Tony asked with a smirk, “At this rate- I'm liable to have one for each Avenger.”

Steve raised an eyebrow, “I'm missing something, aren't I?”

“Whenever someone becomes important enough to me, I develop a mark that represents them,” Tony explained with a shrug.

After a moment of hesitation, he lifted up his shirt again to show Steve. Steve looked at them briefly and then nodded, ignoring the envy coiling in his stomach. The marks were beautifully designed and a completely natural color, unlike the mess Steve had gotten. Apparently he wasn't supposed to think that mattered anymore, but Steve had grown up being taught it was auspicious to have a well-defined mark.

“Please, Cap, withhold your enthusiasm,” Tony insisted, putting his shirt back down and smoothing it. He grabbed a cup and filled it with coffee, not quite looking at either one. “Well, as much fun as that was, I'd rather get back to the lab.” He looked over at Bruce, “Coming?”

“In a moment,” Bruce replied, moving his cup up slightly to indicate he would come once he was finished. Tony rolled his eyes and muttered something about herbal tea before finally leaving the kitchen.

Bruce and Steve sat in silence for a moment, each focusing on their drink. Eventually, Steve broke the silence with, “How have we never seen it? I mean...” He immediately ducked his head back down, his face flushing.

“It's near my hip,” Bruce said quietly, “Even after Hulking Out I can usually keep it covered. I try not to let anyone see it.”

Steve nodded. “Have you ever found your match?”

“No,” Bruce answered too quickly, bitterness seeping into his voice. He took a sip of the tea and closed his eyes to avoid seeing the pitying look he was sure Steve would give him. “I have no interest of ever finding out who matches it,” he added.

“Because of the Hulk?” Steve asked quietly.

Bruce opened his eyes and regarded Steve for a moment. To his surprise, he didn't actually see any hints of pity on the other man. There was sadness, but that couldn't really be helped.

Gradually, Bruce shook his head, “Because of my parents.” Another moment passed before Bruce continued. “They were soulmates. Their marks matched perfectly, they were even in the same location- that almost never happens. Everyone believed they were perfect for each other.” Bruce closed his eyes and took a long sip of his tea. “If it weren't for those damn marks, my mom probably never would have stayed with him- but she kept insisting they were a perfect match and surely if she was better to him, he'd finally be good to her.”

“I had no idea.” Steve knew what he was talking about, of course. All of the Avengers had seen Bruce's records, which included that, at 6, he watched his father beat his mother to death for trying to leave him. Virtually all of them had had difficult family lives, it was another thing they generally avoided talking about. But the records didn't mention his parents being soulmates.

“Yeah... no one likes talking about it,” Bruce said with a shrug, “It's really nice to think that if you meet someone with the right mark, everything'll just fall into place- but sometimes it doesn't and no one really knows why.”

“That doesn't mean it'll be the same with you,” Steve offered gently, “You're a good person, you'd treat your soulmate right.”

Bruce just shrugged, “Even so- I just don't like the idea. Never did. You meet someone and immediately commit to them just because of an accident of skin coloration. I don't want to spend my whole life wondering if the person I'm with really loves me, or if they're just there out of obligation because we're “soulmates”.”

A warm feeling pooled in Steve's stomach when he heard that. Finding out that Bruce did have a mark had felt like proof that Steve could never have a chance with him, now it seemed less impossible.

“Bucky said something like that, how I was lucky because I got to choose the person I wanted to be with,” Steve replied. He gave Bruce a small smile, “That's the first time it didn't sound like someone was just trying to humor me.”

Bruce returned the smile uncertainly before looking down at his nearly empty cup. “I should get back to the lab.”

“Oh, of course,” Steve agreed quietly.

* * *

 

As soon as that little girl had come up to Bruce with a handful of money and a story about her sick father, Bruce had known it was a trap. He hadn't managed to evade the government for so long without developing good instincts, and his instincts were screaming not to go with her. To his surprise, he did anyways. He told himself that he couldn't take the risk that his instincts were wrong, he wasn't about to let someone suffer or die when he could help them.

When she ran off, Bruce couldn't even manage to feign surprise. He was surprised at who was waiting for him, though. He was hardly expecting an attractive woman in an evening gown, not that he was foolish enough to think she was harmless. It was clear she was attempting to put him at ease. It wasn't working.

Again, his brain screamed to find a way to get out, screamed not to trust her, screamed that he had gotten out of much worse situations. He heard himself agree to what she was asking.

Looking back, now that the Avengers were more of a team than a time bomb, he was glad that he had decided to. It wasn't hard to see that his life had improved in every way since joining the team. He still couldn't say why he did, though.


	3. Chapter 3

  
“You're off your game.”  
  
Steve and Natasha had gotten into the habit of sparring. It was a bit odd to be fighting a girl, although Steve had seen Natasha in the field and knew that she could hold her own in a fight. It was even odder to realize that he didn't have to go very easy on her. Natasha had clearly been trained to handle opponents far stronger and larger than her. Not quite Super Soldier strong, but she learned quickly.  
  
Now she was cutting their latest match short, and Steve had to admit that she was right. Even when he had been going easy on her and letting her win, he rarely sparred this badly. He gave her a guilty smile, “Just give me a few minutes to get my head on straight.”  
  
Natasha looked at him for a moment, her lips pursed, before saying, “You should just ask him.”  
  
“What?” Steve replied with a  frown. Initially he didn't understand what she was getting at, but his confusion quickly gave way to a creeping blush.  
  
Natasha shook her head, although the corners of her lips were twitching upwards. “If you're worried about upsetting the team dynamics...”  
  
“I'm not, actually,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I know it's not a common view, but, well, we're not soulmates and it just seems a little pointless to pursue a relationship that's doomed from the start.”  
  
“I'm not suggesting you marry him, Steve.”  
  
Steve didn't respond, and after a moment she sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don't do anything you aren't comfortable with, but think about it.”  
  


* * *

  
  
Steve did think about it. It was hard to do much else. He even logged onto one of those 'Find Your Soulmate' websites and just browsed for anything even close to his. Instead, most of them were beautiful marks in wonderful shades that anyone would be proud to have on their body. The logical part of his brain insisted that those people would, of course, be the ones most comfortable posting their marks publicly and that he was also just being too hard on himself- his mark wasn't nearly so bad. When it came to this, he found it hard to listen to logic.   
  
He couldn't quite say why, but his mark screamed pain and wrong. Again, he tried to logically insist that this was just because he discovered it during the most traumatic experience of his life. Somehow that didn't seem to fully explain it.   
  
For now, he was just going to have to accept that he wasn't in a good place to look for his own soulmate. Which just left him with the realization that he had never in his life asked someone out.   
  


* * *

  
  
It wasn't difficult to find Bruce, which was somewhat disappointing. Being unable to find the other man would've given Steve the perfect excuse not to ask him out. Instead, he found him almost by accident not long after resolving to do it. He was sitting at the counter in the Avengers' kitchen, reading a newspaper despite Tony's insistence that it's better to just use a tablet, and sipping an herbal tea that Steve could smell as soon as he walked into the room. The man didn't look up, and Steve found himself just watching him for a moment. One thing he liked about Bruce was that he still appreciated the feel of paper and writing with an actual pen, something that seemed rare now.   
  
When Tony had first found out about Steve's love of drawing, he had set him up with a fancy computer that you could draw on the screen. It was still early in his adjustment to the new time, and while Steve appreciated it he found it frustrating and depressing. As soon as Tony had left, Steve ended up throwing the 'pen' to the floor in frustration, and Bruce just chuckled and handed him a stack of actual paper and a pencil, promising to show him a good store to get sketchbooks, insisting that Tony meant well but was still Tony.  
  
He had always been unerringly patient with Steve, and occasionally revealed that the world had changed so fast while he was on the run that sometimes it was jarring for him as well. It had taken Bruce a few months to finally actually use the smartphone Tony had given him, initially insisting he just wanted a phone that made phone calls.  
  
“Oh, hey, Steve, is something... um...” Bruce had finally noticed him, and pulled him back to the present. Steve smiled awkwardly, trying not to blush at being caught so lost in his thoughts.   
  
“Go out with me.” He said, immediately worrying that it was too abrupt. Trying to backpedal now would surely make it worse, though, so he bit his tongue and managed to keep a warm smile on his face.  
  
Bruce sat there for a moment, observing him curiously. “Is this one of those times that what that meant in the '40s and what it meant now are completely different things?”  
  
That caught Steve off guard. It stung a bit, having that thrown in his face given the circumstance, and it wasn't really fair. Language hadn't changed that much when he was on ice, most of his confusion was due to new words that hadn't even existed.   
  
“Sorry?”   
  
“It doesn't seem like the case, admittedly,” Bruce said, “But it's the only thing that makes sense.”   
  
Crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at Bruce seemed like the best course of action, or at least the course of action least likely to end in an even more painful misunderstanding. He just stood like that, waiting for the other man to continue. It wasn't long before Bruce's eyes widened and he jerked his head down at the table. Steve could still see that color was creeping over his face.  
  
“It's just...” he mumbled, “You're... Captain America, you could be with anyone you wanted, there's no way you'd be asking me out.”  
  
Steve shifted his weight, trying to figure out how to respond. He walked over to the counter and sat down across from Bruce. He gently placed his hand on Bruce's, pausing in case the other man jerked away. Instead, he looked up uncertainly, looking Steve in the eye. Steve smiled at him and replied, “You're being asked out by Steve Rogers, Bruce. I know I'm a national icon now, but deep down I'm still the gawky kid from Brooklyn who got beat up by every single bully and who no one wanted to dance with. And I think that you're the smartest, kindest man I've ever met and I would love nothing more than to go on a date with you.”  
  
Bruce watched him for a moment, his face mostly stony although emotions were passing behind his eyes too quickly to be recognized. He bit his lip and looked down at Steve's hand, still covering his own. “You're right, I'm sorry, that wasn't fair. I know there's an actual person behind the cowl. I just... I really can't...” He stopped himself and licked his lips. “Okay, let me try this again- yes.”  
  
Steve smiled at him, squeezing his hand gently, and Bruce smiled back. “I suppose we should decide what to do.”  
  
“Dinner and a movie is traditional,” Bruce pointed out.  
  
“We can do that,” Steve agreed.  
  
“Actually,” Bruce said, glancing down, “I think a trip to the Met would be better.”  
  
Steve paused, surprised to hear that. “Are you sure you wouldn't mind? I know some people find museums boring.”  
  
Bruce looked back up at him and chuckled gently, “Steve, I would love to. I've been meaning to get back to the museums in the area anyways.”  
  


* * *

  
  
They agreed to go that Friday. Living together and being on the same team, they naturally saw each other on the days between. At first, Steve worried that this would lead to awkwardness, but if anything it seemed like Bruce was even more relaxed around all of them. Steve was also surprised to notice the other man offering him shy smiles more often, and he felt warmth every time.   
  
To say the trip was pleasant would be an understatement. Bruce's knowledge of art history shocked him, he wasn't sure if it was an interest Bruce had simply never mentioned before or if he'd studied it for the date. Either was believable, and appreciated.   
  
It wasn't perfect, of course. There were uncomfortable silences and stumbling onto painful topics, but mostly it was comfortable. The location was a good choice, any time the conversation lulled, they would come across a piece that at least one was interested in. It was a subject that Steve was confident and passionate about as well. When it came to science, Bruce could talk circles around him without even trying, and it was hard not to feel a little stupid. Art was Steve's area, and while Bruce could hold his own, he felt respected rather than patronized.  
  
The date did have to end at some point, though. As they lived in the same place, they were able to go home without having to part ways, and they finished the evening by staying up a bit too late watching TV. When they agreed it was time to go to sleep, they ended up standing around uncertainly for a few moments.  
  
"I... I know that it's traditional to, well... after a first date..." Steve tried to pull the words out as his face began flushing darkly, "But, I mean, we don't have to and I don't want you to think we do..."    
  
Bruce smiled, watching him trip over himself for a moment before reaching up and placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Good night, Steve."


	4. Chapter 4

At first, nothing really changed. Bruce slept fitfully, woke early, and went to the lab. He found Tony there and made sure the other man had actually left the lab and gotten sleep the night before. That was still an occasional problem, although having the Avengers in the tower seemed to have helped calm him get into better habits.

The morning was spent with each focusing on their own projects. Tony filled the air with rock music and banter, while Bruce worked quietly and just enjoyed the atmosphere. The familiarity was comforting, but somehow it felt like things _should_ have changed.

Time went by and eventually it was time for lunch. Bruce dragged Tony away from his projects and into the kitchen, where he quickly threw together a stir fry. While he was cooking, Tony's train of thought switched gears away from engineering with, “So when are you going to tell us how things are going with Cap?” Bruce paused, turning away from the stove to give Tony a quizzical look. Tony just rolled his eyes. “C'mon, you two've been making doe eyes at each other all week, you can't tell me nothing's going on there.”

“I was just surprised you knew,” Bruce replied, turning back to the skillet, “I still get on edge when people know things about me I didn't expect them to.”

Tony snorted at the comment. “You're avoiding the question.”

“I don't know how to answer it,” Bruce replied. Before Tony had the chance to reply, he announced that lunch was ready and started plating up.

“You know, none of us are going to care. We're all just glad that you two are done pining after each other,” Tony said quietly as he took his plate.

“I do _not_ pine,” Bruce insisted. Tony raised an eyebrow at him and Bruce shrugged, “I don't. I ignore the feelings and bury myself in work instead.”

“That's what you do about everything,” Tony pointed out, “How's it working out?”

Bruce shrugged. “I almost said no to him. If it were anyone else, I would have been certain it was a joke.”

“Cap's just too much of a boyscout to do that, right?” When Bruce nodded, Tony continued, “You really got to work on your self esteem there, Big Guy, I've been trying to get you to strut since we met- you still won't.”

“When I signed up for the Avengers, I never agreed to develop self-worth,” Bruce pointed out, smiling despite himself.

Tony shook his head, “Nah, being a hero doesn't give you self-worth, it's having people around that give a shit about you.” He clapped Bruce on the shoulder, “And that's not going away any time soon.”

Bruce stared at him and Tony quickly ducked his head and started digging into his place. Whether it was out of hunger or embarrassment wasn't clear. The man wasn't prone to getting so sappy. Bruce's stomach growled and he decided to follow suit, the two eating in silence.

* * *

 

Their next date was very casual, they ordered in pizza and chose a few movies to watch in the common room. Choosing the movie was incredibly awkward. At first, both tried too hard to be accommodating, neither willing to suggest a movie the other might not like. This got nowhere quickly. It gave way to timid suggestions, finally reaching a light-hearted banter over each other's movie choices. They gradually agreed on a light feel-good movie, trying to avoid anything uncomfortable. They also kept coming up with excuses not to watch anything focused heavily on romance, which by definition meant a focus on soulmates. Neither had to specifically say why, it was just understood.

Of course, it was virtually impossible to find a movie completely devoid of romance. Eventually, the plot reached the point when the plucky heroine realizes that her best friend was also her soulmate. By this time, Bruce and Steve had worked through two pizzas and were sat on the couch with Steve leaning against Bruce.

“You know,” Bruce said softly, “I actually envy you for not having a soul spot.” Steve shifted slightly, not looking at him and not saying anything. They both turned their attention to the movie until that part was over.

“Actually,” Steve said quietly, glancing up to make sure Bruce had heard him, “I do- I woke up from the ice with one.”

Bruce raised his eyebrows and tensed slightly, but kept his expression neutral. “Have you tried to look for your soulmate?”

“No,” he replied, turning back to the screen, “And I just have no desire to. Part of me is afraid that I'll find out they were born, lived, and died while I was in the ice.”

“I can understand that,” Bruce said, giving his arm a gentle squeeze. “What about the rest of you?”

Steve paused for a moment, not sure how to answer. “The rest of me just doesn't have any interest, I guess. I tried looking at those sites, but it's not for me.”

They finished the movie in silence. As the credits rolled, Bruce asked if they should put on the next one and Steve stopped him. He sat up and looked Bruce in the eye, “I want to say something first.” Bruce shifted, but didn't say anything. Steve grabbed one of his hands, “Look, I really don't want to push you. But I want this to work, and you've been on edge ever since you found out I had a soul spot. You don't have to say anything now, but you can talk to me, you can tell me if I said something stupid and upset you.”

Bruce stared at him for a moment, searching his face while his brain raced to come up with something to say. It was still startling just how genuine Steve was, he was so willing to lay his heart out.

“I... I don't want to sound pathetic,” Bruce said weakly. He tried to look away, but his eyes went straight back to Steve's gentle gaze.

“It's okay if you do, I have more times than I can count,” Steve said with a laugh, “I know you're not perfect, and I'd like to know your flaws just as much as I'm glad to know your strengths.”

Bruce tore his gaze away, his face flushing. He covered his face with a hand and took a few calming breaths as he tried to compose himself. “Steve, I just, I have _never_ in my entire life... You're just... it's too much, you're too much.”

Steve froze at that, but he managed to keep himself calm. He didn't react, hoping Bruce would explain himself.

After a period of silence, Bruce risked a glance at him before burying his face again. His body shivered slightly. “This is what I mean! No one can be this understanding.... this _nice_.”

“You are,” Steve said gently. He felt like he was supposed to offer physical comfort, but doubted it would actually help right now.

Bruce shook his head. He took a few deep breaths and rubbed his face before sitting up straight and giving Steve a mournful look. “I'm sorry, I don't want anyone seeing me like that,” he fidgeted and looked down at his lap, “I have no idea how long this is going to last, I just want to enjoy it while it does.”

Steve nodded, trying to ignore the knot that was forming in his stomach. He slowly looped an arm around Bruce's shoulder, giving the man ample time to make it clear if it was unwelcome. Bruce just leaned his head against Steve. Steve licked his lips nervously. “When I found out you had a soul spot, I was afraid to ask you out. I didn't want to lose you to your soulmate.”

Bruce stiffened when he heard that, before covering his face with his hands again and muttering “Dammit, Steve.” He didn't pull away, though, and Steve very gently pulled him into a hug. There were a lot of things he wanted to say, but he didn't want to push.

* * *

 

Bruce stood there for a few moments, brain reeling. He hadn't meant to fall asleep. That didn't happen to him, he didn't let his guard down, he didn't do things like this by accident. He looked at Steve, still sleeping on the couch, and was distracted from his panicking. The other man didn't look peaceful, his brows were furrowed and he seemed to be shivering slightly. Bruce noticed his arms covered in goosebumps and frowned, the room wasn't nearly so cold. He picked a throw blanket off of the couch, Pepper's attempt at adding homey touches, and draped it over Steve. That seemed to do the trick, the man stopped shivering at least.

* * *

 

Steve woke up to the smell of home cooking. He slowly sat up, surprised to find himself on a couch in the common room. With a jerk, he remembered what happened and felt his heart sink that Bruce wasn't still there. The sound of bacon sizzling brought back what had woken him up, and he walked into the adjoining kitchen.

There was a plate piled with pancakes next to three kinds of syrups and a platter of sausage and bacon. There was a bowl of fruit and, in general, enough food to feed an army. At the stove, Bruce was humming softly while taking another serving of bacon out of the frying pan.

All Steve could do was stare and wonder how long Bruce had been awake that he'd managed to do this.

“Is... there a team breakfast that I didn't know about?” Steve asked gently, trying not to stare at the food and staring. Bruce turned around with a start and looked around himself, blushing furiously.

“I... thought... you would be hungry?” he offered weakly, shrugging, “I guess I got carried away, I can ask the others to come if you want.”

Steve responded by walking over and wrapping Bruce in a close hug. Bruce mumbled something into his shoulder, probably along the line of it being no trouble, but returned the hug. The stove hissed and they pulled apart, Bruce rushing to turn off the burners. He was still blushing, although he now had a small smile on his face.

“There's, um, coffee. If you don't like coffee, the kettle's still hot so you can make something else and, well, you know we have juice...” Bruce said, not quite meeting Steve's eye. He took out two plates and handed one to Steve.

Steve took it and leaned over to plant a kiss on Bruce's cheek.

* * *

 

They finished, and Steve insisted Bruce let him clean the dishes and deal with the leftovers. It took a few minutes of back and forth before Bruce finally gave in and admitted he did need to head to the lab.

Not long after he left, Clint poked his head in. “Is the common area actually common again?”

Steve looked over his shoulder with some surprise, “Sorry?”

“Tony forbade anyone from interrupting your date,” Clint replied with a shrug, “No one's been allowed into this whole area since last night.” He made his way over to the table, hovering over the food.

“Go ahead,” Steve said, rolling his eyes when Clint grabbed a dirty fork and started digging in. Steve dried his hands, turned around, and crossed his arm. “I didn't realize Tony had done that, sorry, he shouldn't have.”

“Nah, it's fine,” Clint said, “It would've been a night of everyone walking in, realizing what was going on, and immediately leaving- this saved everyone a whole lot of awkward.”

Clint had sat down at the table, so Steve took a seat as well. Clint swallowed the bite he had taken and frowned at Steve. “You know, you do not have the glow of someone who had a date that went well.”

“Oh, right, um,” Steve said, running a hand through his hair and trying to figure out how he should be acting instead. After failing miserably, he finally decided to just be honest. “Yeah... I don't really know what I'm doing. I just, thought things would be easier.”

“You're playing with fire, I figured you knew that going in,” Clint pointed out, licking syrup off his fingers. When Steve just frowned at hi, he shrugged. “We're all messed up, Bruce is no exception. You remember how rocky becoming a team was? C'mon, it's only been, like, a week- give it time.”

“But we went _through_ all that,” Steve pointed out, “I didn't think we'd have to again.”

“You've got a new relationship now, you gotta go through it again. Look on the bright side- I don't think there's a chance in Hell he'd be doing this if you hadn't gone through the team stuff first,” Clint pointed out. He cocked his head to one side, “You really thought it'd be easy?"

“I--- _yes!_ ” Steve exclaimed, his face turning a deep red. He covered his face, “It's because we're not soulmates, isn't it?”

This caused Clint to laugh so hard that he choked on a sausage. After a few minutes of coughing and laughing, his face red and tears forming in the corner of his eyes, he finally calmed down. At that point all Steve did was just sit there and give him a disapproving glare.

“Sorry, sorry,” Clint rasped, grabbing Steve's glass of orange juice and taking a swig. “Just, no, that's not how it works at all. If you're broken, finding a soulmate won't fit you. All it does is give you someone to be broken _with_.”

“Do you--?” Steve started, although he dropped the question quickly. There was a reason that none of them discussed soulmates. If Clint spoke from experience, he'd bring it up if he wanted to.

“I know, in all the movies you find your soulmate and suddenly your life is perfect- but that's only 'cause watching people having long, serious talks and struggling with real life problems is boring,” Clint added, ignoring the unfinished question, “Nah, if you were soulmates you'd still be dealing with this crap.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, Brucie...
> 
> Just an FYI- I'm planning on writing a few other stories in the same 'verse as this one. I'm planning on making it a series, and I'll try to remember to mention it in the notes when I do, but keep an eye out for that! :)


	5. Chapter 5

For the next few weeks, Steve tried to take Clint's advice to heart. It would just take time. It was normal. It wasn't proof that they shouldn't be together. It was hard as Hell.

They had good times, they got along, but it always felt shallow. It was starting to make Steve realize that, for all Bruce had let the Avengers in, he still kept everyone at arm's length. That wasn't what he had wanted at all.

There had to be a way to convince Bruce to trust him more, and the best way to do that was to prove he was worthy. He put on his best face, making sure to always be strong. This may have gone better if he wasn't still the result of his 40s upbringing. He wasn't entirely sure how courtship between men typically worked, although it was accepted that sometimes men could be soulmates, most of the time he'd still seen men courting women. Every time that Bruce withdrew, Steve tried harder.

Things finally came to a head when Steve brought Bruce a cup of tea and flashed him the smile he usually reserved for reporters. Bruce ignored the cup, taking several deep breaths before finally spitting out, “Let me make one thing clear- I agreed to go out with _Steve Rogers_ , not Captain America.”

Steve stared at him, cup still in his hand. “I was just trying to--” Bruce looked up at him, his eyes steely, and Steve swallowed thickly. “I thought it would help you be more comfortable around me.”

“You thought feeling like you're performing for cameras would make _me_ comfortable?” Bruce asked harshly.

“I didn't know what to do, you never open up to me!” Steve snapped. “I'm sick of always being kept at arm's length! You should trust me!”

“I do trust you!”

“No you don't, you still hide your flaws, ever since that night--”

Bruce's eyes flashed a warning and Steve stopped. They stayed silent for a moment, before Bruce spoke again. “There are some things I may never be able to share with you. Or anyone. I never told you I'd bare my soul to you.”

“I want our relationship to be deeper than that,” Steve said quietly, “I don't want to only skim the surface.”

Bruce just shook his head. Neither of them spoke. Eventually, Steve realized that the tea in his hand was cooling and he left the room.

* * *

 

It's difficult to completely avoid someone you live with. Several times a day, Steve would catch sight of Bruce. They would run into each other. It was always awkward. There was a knot in his gut that grew each time. He missed Bruce. The relationship may not have been perfect, but it was a lot better than this.

After about 5 days, he asked Jarvis where Bruce was. Unsurprisingly, the physicist was in the lab. Fortunately, he was alone. Steve made his way down, hat metaphorically in hand. When he entered the lab, Bruce glanced at him through the corner of his eyes but otherwise gave no indication he'd noticed his presence. Steve walked over to a safe distance and just watched.

“What are you doing?” he asked softly.

“Working on a way to clean water, for third world countries, it needs to be cheap and portable,” Bruce replied quietly.

Steve nodded, taking a moment to be amazed before remembering why he was there. “I'm sorry.”

Bruce jerked his head up. The expression of utter disbelief made Steve's heart sink, but it was quickly wiped away. “For what?”

“I shouldn't have pushed you,” Steve replied, “And... I really shouldn't have acted like that. I just thought that I had to prove I was worthy.”

A pained look flashed across Bruce's face and he looked away, shaking his head. “I'm sorry I can't give you want you want, it's better to realize it now.”

Steve put a hand on Bruce's shoulder without thinking, almost jerking it back. Bruce made no indication that he needed to, though, so Steve just left it there. “I know it's hard for you to believe, but I want _you_ and... yes, I'd like a deeper relationship, but if this is the only relationship I can have with you, this is what I want.”

Bruce took a deep breath. Steve didn't move, waiting for a response. Eventually, Bruce sighed, “I suppose I'm selfish enough to pretend to believe that. I want this, too.”

Steve smiled.

* * *

 

For the most part, they settled back into a comfortable relationship. There were still times when Bruce would panic. The doubt still gnawed at Steve.

November brought with it Veteran's Day, and Steve buried himself in thoughts about his relationship to distract himself from the day. It brought back painful memories, and Steve was required to publicly speak that day. Not only was it expected, but Steve wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he didn't. That didn't make it any less difficult, and for once he took up Pepper's standing offer to have a speech writer help him.

Steve flew out to Arlington Cemetery, wearing his military dress uniform, and addressed the people gathered as well as the nation. He kept his composure, his grief slipping through just enough to make him sympathetic. He talked about the brave men and women he had fought with, he talked about the valuable contribution they had made. He wanted to talk about the senselessness of the death and misery, how they as a species should have gotten past this by now- but he didn't.

He held it together when the press asked him questions, for once keeping themselves subdued and respectful. He held it together on the flight home, which he had arranged for immediately after the ceremony. He held it together as he made his way through the tower and back to his room.

He fell apart when he found Bruce waiting there for him with a cup of tea made the way his grandma used to make it for him, watching him with worried eyes that didn't betray even an ounce of pity.

They ended up on the couch in Steve's room, with Steve shivering under two blankets and Bruce quietly running fingers through his hair. Neither of them spoke for a long while, until Steve gathered himself up well enough to say, “I'm sorry, I should be strong for you, you shouldn't see me like this.”

He looked up at Bruce, who was just watching him with a small smile. Bruce planted a kiss on his temple and shook his head. “You really don't, Steve. You can fall apart if you need to, I can be strong for you, too.”

“You shouldn't have to,” he grumbled, resting his head on Bruce's chest. “I should be better than this, I shouldn't still have nightmares about ice and gunshots.” Bruce just rubbed his back until Steve relaxed into the touch.

* * *

 

Steve woke up still buried under blankets and leaning against Bruce. He sat up carefully and noticed sweat on the other man's face. The blankets, of course, it must have been baking for him. Steve stood up and only left one blanket on him, trying not to think about how Bruce must have slept in worse conditions.

Apparently this was becoming a tradition for them, one of them would break down and they'd end up falling asleep together. Which meant that Steve should probably return the favor of making breakfast, but this time they weren't as close to the kitchen. He argued with himself on whether it was a better idea to stay and make sure Bruce didn't wake up alone or go to make breakfast. Gradually his growling stomach won out and he taped a note to the door that just said 'come to the kitchen'.

It didn't take very long for Bruce to join him, he had only just poured out the first pancake. This time Bruce's hair was still rumpled and his eyes still bleary from sleep. Steve couldn't help but smile at how adorable it was. Bruce gave him a peck on the cheek and looked over at what he was doing.

“I thought I'd return the favor,” Steve said quietly, trying not to show how nervous he was. Bruce just nodded and went over to the kettle. They stayed in a reasonably comfortable silence punctuated by Steve asking about Bruce's preferences. When the kettle clicked off, Bruce made them both tea before sitting down at the table.

“You know,” Bruce said quietly as Steve turned the sausages, “I still have nightmares, too. The most mundane things set me off sometimes. If I'm lucky, it happens privately. If I'm not, I have to swallow it up and try to get out of the situation as casually as possible or risk leveling the place.”

Steve paused for a moment, not sure how to respond. Very carefully, he turned around and nodded. “It's hard, isn't it?”

“Being an Avenger helps in some ways,” Bruce said gently, taking a sip of tea before placing his cup back down. “In some ways it makes it worse.”

“Exactly,” Steve said with a half-smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took longer than I wanted and came out shorter than I wanted. :| This chapter gave me troubles. I'm hoping the next one won't.
> 
> Usually, when I do a fic, I make it up as I go along- I actually have a pretty structured plot for this, and also for a few follow-up fics ([like this one!](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2654147)). Hopefully I'll be able to finish this one more easily.


	6. Chapter 6

A few days later, the Avengers were called to Assemble. This, in itself, wasn't hugely uncommon. What was uncommon, however, was that it was something that the Hulk was required for.

Although all of the Avengers had come to respect Hulk as a valued teammate, he was still the most volatile. Collateral damage was almost guaranteed whenever he showed up, and any element of stealth went out the window. There was also the major liability that came from him transforming back, leaving one of their teammates incredibly vulnerable. It also meant that Bruce was able to contribute to strategy and could analyze data in the lab during the fight.

Still, this time warranted it. Some megalomaniac had built a robot suit and was terrorizing the city. It was already causing enough property damage that Hulk couldn't make things much worse. While the team _could_ have taken the mech down if they needed to, Hulk would make much shorter work of it.

It wasn't until green started creeping over his face that everyone realize this was the first appearance of the Hulk since Bruce and Steve had started their relationship. No one was actually sure how the Hulk would respond. They waited with baited breath, until the transformation was finished. The behemoth bellowed then turned to Captain America and waited orders as usual. Cap smiled, pointed him in the direction of the robot and shouted, “Take it down.”

Hulk was eager to oblige. At first, the rest of the team focused on ensuring there were no civilians in the area, letting the Hulk grapple with the robot and do what he did best. Hulk managed to disable the robot fairly quickly, taking out one of its legs and arms. In terms of mobility, the robot was down, but it was still armed. The robot took a few shots at the Hulk to no avail, then the Hulk was flung backwards with a large dart sticking out of his chest.

“ _Shit_ ,” Ironman hissed across the coms, “ _Someone get to him- NOW_.”

Captain America looked over with initial confusion before realizing that the Hulk was shrinking, the green slipping away. He immediately ran over, barking orders for the others to take down the robot and for SHIELD to get someone over there. When he reached Bruce, he pulled the dart out of his chest, sickeningly large compared to a human body and quickly realized that the man was unconscious.

“ _It's a HulkBuster_ ,” Ironman spat, already attacking the robot with a vengeance, “ _I don't know this asshole got it..._ ”

Cap paled at that, although he had no first-hand experience with it he had seen the designs from the HulkBuster program. They were some of the nastiest weapons he had ever seen, and it was one of Tony's greatest regrets. He looked over Bruce warily, desperate for something to do. The man was breathing at least, but his breaths were shallow and his skin was pale. Then he noticed Bruce's soul-spot and felt the world stop.

It may have been more accurate to say that he saw the remains of what was once Bruce's soul-spot. It was a small patch of skin completely covered in pale scars. It wasn't surprising that Tony hadn't realized this from a quick glance, but in broad daylight it didn't take long to notice. As horrible a sight as it was, it was the shape of the scars that had caught his attention. It was a shape he knew all too well, that he'd spent staring at in the mirror and agonizing over ever since he had woken up from the ice.

The SHIELD medical team arrived, jerking him back to the present. They worked quickly, moving Bruce onto a gurney and speaking in rapid fire medical jargon. One of them took the dart from Captain America, presumably to test the contents.

“ _They've got him_ ,” Captain America told the others, pulling himself together, “ _I can join you_ —”

“ _We've got this,”_ Black Widow interrupted him, “ _Go with him._ ”

Captain America grimaced, “ _I'm not going to play favorites on the field, you need me._ ”

“ _We're almost done here_ ,” Hawkeye pointed out, and Cap glanced back, realizing this was true. The robot was in ruins, SHIELD agents had shown up to help get the guy out. “ _This isn't favoritism, your a captain staying with a fallen teammate. Just go already._ ”

* * *

 

Steve wasn't sure whether or not he was grateful the team had pushed him to go with Bruce. They were right, he did want to stay with the man, but he was also desperate for a distraction. On the field, he could have buried himself in the mission, helped with questioning the man and analyzing the bot, helped sort out rebuilding efforts and making sure no one had gotten hurt. It would have been so easy to push everything else to the back of his mind, just trust SHIELD to do its job and take care of Bruce.

Instead, he found himself sitting in a hospital room and feeling absolutely useless. Bruce was still unconscious. Until they finished analyzing the dart, all they were doing was monitoring his condition. Because of the radiation in his blood, his room was treated as a HazMat environmetnt. The doctors and nurses were in ridiculous suits and Steve couldn't help but suspect they were running more tests on him than they needed to be.

The team had already called him three times to give a status update and check on how things were going. The answer, of course, was that they were going horribly. There was no point in Steve being there, except that whenever Bruce woke up someone would get to fondly say “He never left your side” and it would be very sweet and wonderful but what _good_ did it actually do?

There was nothing to distract him from his thoughts, or his ridiculously conflicted emotions.

He'd found his soulmate. He had no idea what to do with this information, how Bruce would respond to it. Bruce had only just started being more comfortable with Steve, this could easily ruin it. Revealing they were soulmates, it was practically saying they were supposed to be together for the rest of their lives. Steve hadn't even thought that far yet, wasn't that a sign they weren't ready?

All of that assumed that Bruce was going to be waking up, but that wasn't a train of thought Steve had any interest pursuing.

After what felt like an eternity, but was less than an hour, the doctors finally said that they'd finished their tests. As expected, it was a powerful tranquilizer, enough to take down a herd of elephants. It would have killed anyone else, and they had no way of knowing how Bruce's body would respond to any treatments. The best they could do was monitor is condition to ensure things didn't get worse and try to flush the remainder out of his system.

Not long after that news, Natasha walked into the room. She was still in her uniform and had apparently convinced the medics that she didn't need a HazMat suit. She just sat down next to him and gave his knee a gentle squeeze before putting her hands on her lap.

Steve knew this was a technique to get people to talk, and it actually brought a small smile to his face. “I guess you saw his chart.”

“I did.” They sat in silence for another moment before she added, “Tony got ahold of the samples, he's running his own tests and having Jarvis and his medical department work out another treatment plan.”

Steve nodded, then rubbed his face with his hands.

Another moment past before Natasha placed a hand on his shoulder. “We can take turns staying with him, you don't have to stay here. We both know he wouldn't want you torturing yourself. Go home, get some rest, if anything changes you'll be the first to know.”

“I don't even know if I'll be able to rest, I just...” he shook his head, “I should be able to _do_ something.”

“You'll be better able to do something if you get some rest,” she replied firmly, although she gave him a sympathetic smile.

“You just got back from the mission as well,” he pointed out, “Don't you need the rest?”

She smiled at him, “Don't worry about me. I'll be able to rest here, you're the one who'll be worrying yourself sick and working yourself up.”

Steve stared at her, wanting to argue but he felt the weariness in his bones. He knew that getting his head on straight would require getting out of this hospital room. Rest probably wouldn't be possible until he'd run for hours and punched through a dozen bags, which wasn't exactly a bad idea right now.

* * *

 

When Steve got back to the tower, he had a plan in mind. He wanted to run until his lungs burned, work at the punching bags until his knuckles bled, push his physical body to its limit. On his sixth pass of the Hudson River Greenway, he got a call from Natasha that they were transferring Bruce to Stark Tower's medical ward. Steve asked if the SHIELD doctors agreed to it, or if Tony had just demanded it. He could picture Natasha's smirk.

He decided to cut his run short, heading back to the Tower. A meal and shower sounded good. Bruce still hadn't woken up, but at least he could be near him without driving himself crazy. The run he'd managed to get had been enough to clear his head at least.

After showering, he had planned to get something to eat. But as soon as he sat down on the couch for a moment to think about what, weariness overtook him and he ended up falling asleep. He slept fitfully, as he always did, until he was finally woken by someone shaking him roughly.

His eyes flew open and his first instinct was that it was an attack. He grabbed the person's wrist and shoved it behind their back before sleep completely cleared and he realized what was going on.

“Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry Tony,” he said, dropping his wrist and leaping back.

Tony rubbed his wrist, bringing a pang of guilt to Steve, but laughed it off. “Remind me not to do that again. We tried calling you and Jarvis tried getting your attention- Bruce is up.”

Steve just froze at that, not really sure what to do. It wasn't long before the somewhat forced smile faded from Tony's face and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

“He's fine,” Tony added, “C'mon, don't you want to see him?”

Steve shook himself and nodded, although he didn't make any moves. Tony shifted uneasily, not at all comfortable with anything related to feelings and it seemed like that was where this was going.

“You two didn't get into a fight, did you?”

“No!” Steve responded, finally coming back to his senses properly. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Can I ask you something about your marks?”

Tony frowned, then nodded slowly. His hand automatically went to his side where both marks were.

“How do you deal with being born markless and then just getting one?”

A few unkind responses bubbled up in Tony's throat before something clicked in his brain. He shot Steve a suspicious look, “Have you got one now?”

“Since the ice,” Steve replied quietly.

“And, what, you're feeling guilty for dating Bruce instead of finding your soulmate?”

“I actually felt more guilty for wanting to date Bruce when he should be with his,” Steve said with a dark laugh, and shook his head. “I don't want to say anymore.”

Tony raised an eyebrow at him, the gears in his head turning. The look of contemplation on his face made Steve realize that he may not have been the right person to confide even that much in, although almost all of his teammates were good at figuring things out. Steve did his best to casually drop the subject and excuse himself, but knew it was done too hastily.

* * *

 

Steve tried to brace himself for whatever he would find in the medical wing. The tranquilizer could have had some sort of side effect Tony hadn't mentioned. He also wasn't sure what emotions would come up now. With a deep breath, he pushed the door open.

Bruce was in the room almost fully dressed, putting his last shoe on while discussing something with Jarvis that went completely over Steve's head. For a long moment, Steve just stared at him, as he realized that all of the worries and concerns were melting away. Bruce looked up at him and gave him an uncertain smile, and Steve went over and wrapped his arms around him as gently as possible.

“I'm fine, Steve, I promise,” Bruce said with a laugh, and Steve tightened the grip before letting go.

“I have something unimportant that I have to tell you- but it can wait,” Steve told him with smile.

“Unimportant?” Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow.

Steve nodded, “It seems like it should be important, and I thought it was, but it really isn't.” He placed a kiss on Bruce's temple, “I promise. Now- how are you?”

“I feel guilty about this, but...” Bruce answered, rubbing his neck, “That was the best sleep I've had in years, I feel great.”

There was a pause as Steve just stared at him, an irrational part of him feeling insulted that Bruce had been just fine while he spent all that time worrying. He pushed that thought away and just smiled, “Well, let's not make this a habit- I'm sure there are better ways to help you sleep.”

“Oh, don't you start- Tony's already analyzing the dart and trying to figure out a better dose,” Bruce replied with an eyeroll.

“Well... That is how he shows he cares,” Steve said, earning a laugh from Bruce. “Have you eaten?” When Bruce shook his head he added, “Me neither, we should fix that.”

“We could go to an all you can eat buffet and make the owners cry,” Bruce suggested with a smirk. At the concerned look on Steve's face, he shook his head, “We'd give them more than enough in tips to cover what we ate, of course.”

“How about we just order in? I don't really feel like going out.”

Bruce smiled, “Me neither.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know at least some of you called it. :P 
> 
> In the same series, in case you hadn't seen, I put up a one [about Pepper](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2747273). You can subscribe to the whole series [here](http://archiveofourown.org/series/177746). :) For the most part, the rest are just one-shots. The next one I'm planning on doing focuses on Tony.


	7. Chapter 7

The team had actually held off on their post-mission ritual of eating together before passing out. Everyone had gotten small meals, of course, but everyone had silently agreed they'd wait.

When Steve asked Jarvis to order something for them, the AI only politely told them to go to the Avengers dining area. They did so, and discovered a feast with the other Avengers all waiting for them. Natasha and Clint both visibly relaxed when they saw Bruce, although they'd gotten the news he was well neither had actually seen them. Tony just gave them a tired wave.

“You didn't have to do this...” Bruce said quietly, just staring at them.

Clint just rolled his eyes and dragged Bruce over to a chair, causing Steve to smile. “Yeah, yeah, yeah- now, c'mon. It'll get cold.”

After everyone was convinced that Bruce really was feeling better, they fell into the silence that most of their post-mission meals involved. Now that there was no need to worry, exhaustion finally seeped in. It was clear that, as soon as the meal was done, everyone would be retiring for the night.

Once the food had disappeared, everyone silently went their separate ways, as they always did. Although he was well-rested physically, even Bruce felt worn down from what had happened. It was sobering to know that someone had managed to get a weapon that successfully shut down the Hulk.

The two curled up on Steve's bed and Steve fell asleep quickly, Bruce stroking his hair and focusing on calming his nerves.

* * *

 

Somehow, Bruce had managed to drift off to sleep again. He woke up to find Steve watching him fondly yet sleepily, and gave the man a soft smile.

“Good morning,” Bruce mumbled.

“It's probably the middle of the night,” Steve pointed out.

Bruce stretched, “Being a superhero makes it hard to keep a normal sleep schedule.”

Steve chuckled at that before watching Bruce fondly.

“What?” Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I'm just... I'm happy to be with you,” Steve said softly. Bruce gave him a confused look, still not used to such affection, before pressing a kiss to his lips.

“So what was this non-important thing you had to tell me?” Bruce asked gently, pink tinging his cheeks.

Steve studied him for a moment, wondering if now was really the right time. There may never be a right time, though, and now was as good as any.

“I saw your soul spot,” he said softly.

Bruce froze, curling into himself slightly. “They're all old,” he said quietly, “I... when I was a kid, and then a teenager, then right after the Hulk, I...” Bruce buried his head in Steve's shoulder, “I never wanted to inflict myself on anyone, I thought that if I destroyed it, even if I met my soulmate they'd never have to know.”

Steve wrapped his arms around him and sighed, suddenly not sure how to approach this. Bruce continued mumbling about how he knew he shouldn't feel that way. When he finally silenced, Steve sat up and started taking his shirt off. Bruce stared at him in bewilderment before Steve pointed to his own mark.

Bruce frowned at it, then his face paled and his hand went to his hip. “It's... that's not... it's a coincidence... it can't...”

Steve shrugged, pulling his shirt back on and staring at his lap. “It doesn't matter, Bruce, it really doesn't.” Bruce just stared at him in disbelief and Steve looked into his eyes. “I chose _you_ , Bruce, not your mark. Not a soulmate. _You_. And I can walk away at any time if I want, and if you want to leave I'll be heart-broken, but I'll give you the money for a ticket.”

Bruce just kept staring at him and shook his head, “I... I can't, Steve, I just can't.” He sat up and shook his head, “I just... I need...” he shook his head again before standing up and walking out.

Steve sighed heavily, running a hand over his mark and bemusing the irony of a great relationship ending _because_ they were soulmates.

* * *

 

Bruce sat on the roof of Stark Tower, lying on his back and looking up at the clouds. Up here, the city sounds were muffled enough that he could ignore them. For an hour he lay there, silently meditating. He let his thoughts wash over him then recede, ebbing and flowing like the tide.

Eventually he heard footsteps followed by the gentle _thud_ of someone sitting down next to him. Bruce didn't bother looking over, assuming if it was anyone dangerous JARVIS would have let him know.

“Nice day for it.” It was Clint, who apparently was keen to just sit there silently. After 10 minutes, Bruce finally let out a heavy sigh.

“Apparently Steve and I are soulmates.”

“Huh.”

Bruce opened one eye to peer up at him. The archer was sitting there, cleaning his bow and looking completely disinterested. Bruce finally sat up and rubbed his face with his hands.

“I can't stand it, it's like is suddenly everything that happened supposed to be okay just because it has _meaning_? Am I supposed to be happy that my soulmate is a person who I had to go through Hell just to meet?”

Clint just shrugged, “What do you think, doc?”

Bruce stared at him for a long moment. “Actually, I'd like your opinion.”

“Will it make any difference?”

This time, Bruce shrugged. Clint's lip twitched up and he finally set his bow down.

“I dunno, I never really went to church as a kid and working with a Norse God kind of screws up my sense of religion- but I don't really figure destiny works like that. I mean, it's not like you're the only person Steve spends any time with, there are plenty of different paths that could've led you together,” Clint pointed out. When Bruce frowned, Clint gave him a light smile. “Unless you _want_ it to give meaning to everything.”

Bruce was silent for a long moment, just covering his eyes with his hand and breathing in the darkness. Gradually he sighed, “How do I know he's with me because he genuinely likes me, and not because of some soulmate pheromone-or-whatever bullshit?”

Clint hummed, “ _Now_ we're getting somewhere! Simple answer- guess you can't.” Bruce shot him a glare and Clint just shrugged. “What? You can't. But, I mean, do you really think Steve'd stay with someone who was bad for him? His head's screwed on pretty tight.”

“He's with _me_ ,” Bruce pointed out sullenly.

“Yeah...” Clint stood up, “Pity party is where I get off this ride. Relationship issues I can help with, self-esteem issues are your own problem.”

The archer left Bruce to stew in his own thoughts.

* * *

 

A few days passed, and Steve came to appreciate how Bruce had managed to stay under the radar for so long. Despite constant assurance from JARVIS that Bruce _was_ still in the tower, Steve completely failed to run into him. It was, admittedly, possible that JARVIS was warning Bruce to leave, but somehow the AI seemed above that.

It was hard to know what to do, not that Steve had a whole lot of options. He wasn't going to end the relationship until he could talk to Bruce, but with Bruce avoiding him... Well, he didn't have a whole lot of options.

He couldn't help but feel frustrated. This was a time that they should have been celebrating, been happy, been re-establishing their relationship as soulmates. Soulmates! Bruce Banner was his soulmate, it was something Steve wanted to feel giddy about. Instead, he was basically sitting around waiting to find out if he was about to be dumped for the worst possible reason.

As the days passed, he started wondering if he even wanted to have a relationship with Bruce. Was this going to be what it was like every time things got hard? A few days of complete avoidance? It was miserable.

* * *

 

 

Then, while watching a movie in the common area, Bruce sat down next to him in the same unassuming manner he seemed to do everything. They sat in silence, Steve not sure what to say and Bruce not offering up any commentary on his absence. It wasn't until the movie ended and the credits started rolling that Bruce finally spoke.

“I don't really know what to say. I still don't believe you can like me for myself. I don't want you to try and convince me of how wonderful I am- I won't believe you. So finding out we were soulmates- it was like proof that I'm not good enough for you, and that you're just... brainwashed or something.” Bruce avoided Steve's eyes the entire time, staring straight ahead of the computer screen. “But I'm still selfish enough to want this relationship to happen.”

Steve made a disgruntled noise, turning to face Bruce and refusing to speak until the other man looked at him. It was another long moment before he did. “Let's just get one thing straight. I don't really care if you're good enough for me or not. I don't care that you're my soulmate. If I didn't want to be with you-all the marks in the world would convince me. But I'm not sure how keen I am to be with someone who thinks I'm that weak-willed.”

“I'm sorry,” Bruce said quietly, “I don't think you're weak-willed, I just...”

“You've seen how badly it can go and it's got you spooked,” Steve supplied. Bruce just nodded. Steve sighed heavily, leaning his forehead against Bruce's. “Before we continue, I should warn you that I'm going to find a way to get you some self-worth. And that's true whether we're dating or not.”

“That's fair enough.” Bruce said with a small smile.

Steve took a deep breath, "I don't know if I can handle you disappearing every time things get tough."

"I don't know if I can promise I won't disappear."

They sat like that for a long moment.

He looked into Steve's eyes. “Think you can put up with me enough to keep giving this a try?”

“I'm sure I'll be able to manage somehow,” Steve said, leaning over and pressing their lips together gently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not terribly good with endings, which may be obvious. I thought about it and this seems like a pretty good place to end it. Trying to wrap it up in a nice little bow would be dishonest- it'll take a lot more work for these two to reach smooth sailing positions, and if I feel like exploring that I think it'd be better in another fic. There's no plans for that at the moment, though.
> 
> If you liked this, please check out my other [Mark of Fate](http://archiveofourown.org/series/177746) fics. :) It's possible I'll write another one that I'm considering. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read this, and I'm sorry about how long it took me to write this. Anyone who's been following me for long knows that ACTUALLY finishing fics is pretty hard for me. :P


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